Multipurpose pan



, Nov. 12, 1957 T. H. PALMER 2,812,784

MULTIPURPOSE PAN Filed Sept. 2, 1955 Fig. l

Palmer I N VEN TOR.

Fig'3 605w- FQW Thomas H.

United States Patent MULTIPURPOSE PAN Thomas H. Palmer, Great Falls, Mont.

Application September 2, 1955, Serial No. 532,207

2 Claims. (Cl. 141-98) The present invention relates to a new and useful article of manufacture which, structurally speaking, is a manually usable sheet material pan or tray, that is, one which is such that it may serve a number of purposes and lends itself to use not only as a dust pan but also as an easy-to-handle funnel-equipped plate.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide a pan or tray wherein a pair of converging tubular members fashioned from corner portions of a rectangular plate define not only the receptacle portion of the tray and handles for handling the tray, but also cooperate with each other and the intervening triangular web portion of the plate in defining a tunneling spout which has a number of purposes for tunneling sand and granular materials and the like into a container or to assist one in sorting out nuts and bolts of varying sizes and handily tunneling them into suitably labeled cans or containers.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings.

In the drawings wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tray constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a similar perspective view observing the tray from another end thereof; and

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

The tray or pan, and the structure may be either one or both of these, is characterized principally by a substantially flat rigid blank or piece of sheet material. This is denoted by the numeral 6 and it will be approximately the size of what may be classified as an ordinary dust pan, for example, one of the varying household sizes. Since, however, the device is to serve more than one purpose in the machine shop as well as in the home and also out of doors to assist in tunneling sand and so on, it will be a sturdy and preferably non-corrodible plate. One lengthwise edge may be laterally bent to provide a lip 8 similar to the lip on an ordinary sheet metal dust pan and which will facilitate brushing the dirt and dust into the pan proper. The plate will also be provided with ribs or flutes 10 and 12 arranged at suitable angles to each other for reinforcing the plate. The end opposite to the lip equipped end is conveniently denoted here by the numeral 14. The marginal edges 16, the only remaining edges of the plate, are mentioned here to assist in defining what may be called sides of the pan. Actually, the corner portions at the juncture of the edges 14 and 16 are both rolled upon themselves and coiled inwardly as at 18. It is preferable that the convolutions of the coil should be at least one complete and a portion of another convolution, this added portion being conveniently denoted by the numeral 20 in Figure 3. By so coiling the plate a pair of hollow handles or hand-grips 22 are thus proyided.

2,812,784 Patented Nov. 12, 1957 "ice A The ends of the handles toward the edge 14 are denoted by the numerals 24 and these are here described as the converging end and, obviously, they are sufiiciently close together that they cooperate with the relatively short intervening marginal edge 14 in defining a satisfactory collecting and discharging funnel. The triangular Web portion therebetween cooperates in defining the receptacle portion of the pan or tray. The diverging ends of the handles are conveniently de noted'by the numerals 26.

It is of course obvious that one of the principally purposed advantages of the finished article is that it is a simple, practical and economical dust pan. The handles may be used either with one or both hands as the case may be. Usually, however, one will hold one hand and sweep or otherwise collect the dust and dirt in the pan using the other hand for operating a whisk broom or the like (not shown). The dirt which is collected between the handles may then be concentrated and then emptied from the small or spout end without spilling. The device may be used equally well for putting small articles like nails, screws, buttons and miscellaneous things into the pan and picking them over and then dumping them back into the container through the small opening in the pan. That is to say, it may be used for sorting different sizes and kinds of articles. It may also be used for painting screens by holding the lip edge of the pan on the screen to keep the paint olf the wire mesh whereupon it is in effect a painters shield. It may be made from lightweight metals or from commercial plastics and should therefore appeal to manufacturers, retailers, and

users. a

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit. the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. As a new article of manufacture, a plate provided on its upwardly usable top side and along opposed marginal edges with a pair of upstanding handles, said handles cooperating with one another and the intervening portion of the plate in defining a shallow pan-like receptacle, said handles being in divergent relationship and the converging ends thereof being sufficiently close together that they cooperate with the companion portion of the plate in defining a funnel, each handle being formed from the cooperating corner portion of said plate and being convolved upon itself to define a member which is tubular in cross section.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 and wherein the converging ends of said handles are in close proximity to an adjacent marginal edge portion of the plate, the opposite diverging ends being spaced rearwardly of the leading marginal edge of the plate and permitting said edge to be used effectively when painting screens in a manner to keep the paint off of the wire mesh.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 147,459 Kloth Sept. 9, 1947 292,247 Millett Jan. 22, 1884 691,965 Armsby Jan. 28, 1902 870,447 Lyons Nov. 5, 1907 952,313 Droz Mar. 15, 1910 

